Chris Blackhurst: We have to put our foot down over Asics’ tactics

Even with my limited sporting career (don’t laugh), I know that Asics makes a high-quality shoe.

But I also know they can be hard to come by, and they can be costly.

That’s because Asics, a Japanese firm, holds back from supplying our major discount and online retailers such as Sports Direct and Amazon.

Those groups are so efficient they can lower the shoes’ prices and still make a profit.

The German competition authority has decided to act. Last week, the Bundeskartellamt confirmed that, in Germany at least, Asics had changed its policy.

It had unlawfully blocked online retailers from selling its products. The move is part of a German push to curb online and digital platform bans, to remove antitrust policies.

Germany has passed the baton

The UK competition authority must collect it and crack down on the likes of Asics.

Until then, our market will not be free and it could be subject to quite blatant manipulation.